Coin slide for coin controlled machines



Dec. 31,1935. c. H. cuwns COIN SLIDE FOR COIN CONTROLLED MACHINES FiledAug. 9,1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l dam/W Ew w R m W 1935- c. H. CURTIS COINSLIDE FOR COIN CONTROLLED MACHINES Filed Aug. 9, 1933' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2I I m H I I I In I/ H "w m 1 ,2 N i v\ .iHllllllI I l V v/( m PatentedDec. 31, 1935 UNITED STATE COIN SLIDE FOR COIN CONTROLLED MACHINESCharles Herbert Curtis, Sumter, S. C.

Application August 9, 1933, Serial No. 684,456

9 Claims. (Cl. 19497) My invention relates to coin slides for coincontrolled machines.

An object of my invention is to provide a slide for a coin controlledmachine in which means is provided to prevent the fraudulent operationof the machine by any form of slug or imitation of the real coin forwhich the machine is designed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mechanism to accomplishthis result, which can be readily applied to any form of coin controlledmachines carrying slide bars without in any way changing theconstruction of any of the mechanism associated therewith and operatedthereby.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mechanism of thischaracter which is simple in construction andmore effective to detect aslug or imitation coin to prevent the operation of the machine thereby.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a combination ofdetectors so associated that they independently operate upon all knownforms of slugs or imitation coins without one interfering with theoperation of the other.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a coin slide of an ordinary coincontrolled machine showing my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bar coin slide with the guide removed.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view of the coin slide showing the slide gateto prevent the insertion of a shim for operating the machine by a coinor slug with a hole in it, or plugged up hole. Fig. 5 is adiagrammatical view of the coin slide showing the pivoted dog forengaging a slug or softer metal than proper coin, and engaging the slidebar when a thin coin is placed in the aperture in the slide bar.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical view of the slide bar showing the pivoted dogfor engaging a Texas coin or slotted slug and locking the slide baragainst inward movement.

Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the guide or housing for the slide barshowing the three coin detecting dogs removed.

Referring now to the drawings I represents the guide of a coin slide inwhich is slidably mounted the coin holding slide 2 adapted to operatethe mechanism upon the inward movement thereof a predetermined distance.The guide I is provided with laterally extending flanges 3 by means ofwhich it is secured to the machine, all

of which is of the usual construction and needs no further description.The coin holding slide 2 is provided with an aperture 4 in which thecoin is placed and the guide holds the coin in the aperture until theslide 2'has been forced inwardly a predetermined distance to operate themechanism when the coin is discharged into the machine and the slide iseither drawn back by hand or forced back by a spring.

The flange 3 on the outside is provided with a housing 5 which has itslower end open, and in which is arranged a vertically movable gate 6which is directly above the center of the coin slide 2. Carried by theupper face of the guide I in beyond the flange 3 are a series of ears1., 8, 9 and I0, and in which is supported a transverse pin II uponwhich are mounted the three detectors hereinafter more fully described.

Mounted on the pin H between the ears 9 and I intermediate its ends is alever I2 which has its outer end extending outwardly through a slot I3in the flange 3 and entering an aperture I4 in the gate 6. The inner endof the lever I2 is normally held downwardly within a slot I in the coinholding slide 2 clearly'shown in Figures 3 and 4. This gate, as shown inFigure 4, is to prevent the use of a slug or coin with a hole in it byplacing a shim plate over the hole in the coin, thereby holding the dog20 upward in its normal position and causing it to be useless. When sucha coin is used, and the shim placed over a slug or hole in the coin andover the slot 34, the beveled outer face iii of the slot l5 engages theinner end of the lever l2 raising it and forcing the outer endthereofdownwardly, which in turn forces the gate 6 downwardly toward slot 34 inslide 2 and the lower end thereof will grip the shim and prevent theslide 2 from being forced inwardly. In order to normally hold the innerend of the lever l2 within the slot 15 as shown in Figure 4, a leafspring I! is fastened at 18 to the guide and has its outer end I!)engaging the inner end of the lever I2.

Mounted upon the pin H between the ears 8 and-9 is a dog 20 which isnormally held in a downward position, as shown in Figure 5, by means ofthe spring 2| fastened at 22 to the guide and its forward or outer end-23 engaging an upwardly extending lug 24 carried by the dog 20. Theextreme outer end of the dog 20 is curved downwardly and very pointed,as indicated at 25, and the same is held downwardly upon a raised camsurface 26 carried by the slide 2, and the outer end of said cam surfaceis beveled as indicated at 21.,

The dog 20, as shown in Figure 5, drops off of the cam 26 as the slidemoves inwardly and into the aperture 4 slightly after point 25 on dog 20has cleared forward wall of aperture 4. If a soft slug or coin is in theaperture the pointed end of the dog 26 bites into the same and preventsthe slide from being moved inwardly sufl'icient to operate the machine.If a thin hard coin or slug is placed in the aperture, the dog slidesover the same until it reaches the outer edge of the aperture when itcannot ride upwardly'and the slide is locked against inward movement tooperate the machine.

Mounted upon the pin l l between the ears! and 8 is a dog 28 which isnormally held downwardly by means of the spring 29 fastened to the guideat 36 and its outer end 3| engaging the dog. The forward lower end ofthe dog 28 is pointed as indicated at 32 and travels slightly above theslot 33 in the slide 2 so as not to come into contact with a proper coinin aperture 4. The forward end of the slot is in communication with thecoin aperture 4 as shown in Fig. 4. The upper forward end of the dog 28is provided with a laterally extending pin 33 which extends over thehooked end 23 of the spring 2| operating the dog 26. By this arrangementthe dog is held in a neutral position, as shown in Figure 6, out of theslot 33 until the dog 20 passes beyond the cam 26 when spring 29 willforceit downward slightly after the forward end thereof .reaches thecoin aperture 4.

The dog as shown in Figure 6 is adapted to prevent the use of what isknown as a Texas coin or slug. This coin or slug is usually of steel andis provided with a slot at one side so arranged that the usual cam 35enters the same, and the slug will not be forced from the aperture inthe slide and. can be used over and over again without removing it fromthe slide. These slugs being of steel the magnet employed for detectinga steel slug will hold the slug up within the aper-' ture 4 of theslide. However, when the dog shown in Figure 6 is released from thetension of the spring 2| by the dog 20, having passed the cam 26, thespring 29 forces the dog 28 downwardly within slot 33 slightly after thedog reaches the aperture 4. The slot in the Texas coin or slug is inline with the-slot 33, and the pointed end 32. of the dog '28 travels inthe slot in the coin or slug until it reaches the end of the slot whenit will engage the outer or forward wall of the slot and lock the slide2 against further inward movement. When the proper coin is in theaperture 4, the dog 28 will slide over top of coin and not interferewith operation (having been let down slightly after forward end of coinhas passed under, point 32).

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the combination ofthe gate and the two pivoted dogs prevents the use of any known'form ofcoin or slug from being used to operate the machine, each operatingindependently upon the type or coin or slug for which it is intended,and neither in any way interfering with the other in its operation uponthe coin of the type for which it is designed.

Having thus described the invention, whatl claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slideprovided with. an aperture to receive a coin and a slot in advance ofsaid aperture, a guide for said slide adapted to permit preventingfraudulent operation of said slide, said means including a deviceoperable upon the use of a shim extending over said slot for clampingthe shim and preventing movement of said slide, but adapted to entersaid slot when no shim is employed whereby to permit free movement of 6said slide.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slideprovided with an aperture to receive a coin and a slot in advance ofsaid aperture, a guide for said slide adapted to per- 10 mit a stroke ofpredetermined length, means including a sliding gate for preventing theoperation of said slide by the use of a shim plate extending over saidslot, means including a plurality of pivoted dogs for preventing theoperation of said 15 slide by the use of fraudulent coins, and meansoperable upon the movement of said slide for permitting the operation ofsaid gate and said dogs, one of said dogs being dependent for itsoperation upon the movement of another of said dogs. 20

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slideprovided with an aperture to receive a coin and a slot in advance ofsaid aperture, a guide for said slide adapted to permit a stroke ofpredetermined length, and means 25 including a sliding gate forpreventing the operation of said slide by the use of a shim plate ex-'tending over said slot. I

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slideprovided with an aperture to receive a coin, a guide for said slideadapted to permit a stroke of predetermined length, said slide having aslot at the forward end thereof, a gate mounted on said guide formovement at an angle to the plane of said slide, a lever pivotally. 35mounted on said guide, means for connecting one end of said lever tosaid gate, means operating on the opposite end of said lever upon themovement of said slide for moving said gate into said slot, whereby topermit the free movement of 40 said slide, said gate being adapted toarrest the movement of said slide when a shim extends over said slot byclamping said shim, and means for returning said gate to its normalposition upon the return of said slide. 45

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slidehaving a coin receiving aperture, a guide for said slide adapted topermit a stroke of predetermined length, said slide having alongitudinal opening at the forward end 50 thereof and a slot in rear ofsaid coin receiving aperture, a gate mounted on said guide for movementinto and out of said opening, a lever pivotally mounted on said guideand having one end thereof engaging said gate, and a spring for 55,

normally forcing the oppositeend of said lever into said slot therebyraising the gate when said slide is in an inoperative position, theforward edge of said slot being adapted to force one end of said leverupwardly whereby to lower the gate 0 into said opening after the coinreceiving aperture has passed beneath said gate, said gate, however,being adapted to prevent the operation of said slide when a shim extendsover said opening by clamping said shim. 5 6. In a device of thecharacter described, the combination of a slide having a coin receivingaperture, a guide for said slide adapted to permit a stroke ofpredetermined length, a raised portion on said slide in rear of saidcoin receiving aper- 70 ture and extending along a diametrical line ofsaid aperture, a sharp ended dog pivotally mounted on said guide andhaving the short end thereof resting upon said raised portion when theslide is in an inoperative position, a spring for forcing 75 said dogdownwardly into said coin receiving aperture when the slide is movedinwardly to shift the raised portion away from under said dog whereby tocause the said sharp end to pierce a soft coin to arrest furthermovement of said slide,

a second dog pivotally mounted on said guide at one side of said sharpended dog, and means connecting said second dog with said sharp endeddog whereby said second dog comes into operation after the raisedportion on said slide has shifted away from under said sharp ended dog.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slidehaving a coin receiving aperture and a longitudinal opening at theforward end thereof, a guide for said slide adapted to permit a strokeof predetermined length, means for preventing the operation of saidslide when a shim extending over said opening is used, means including apivoted dog for preventing the operation of said slide by the use of asoft coin or a thin coin, and means including a pivoted dog forpreventing the operation of said slide by the use of a slotted or Texascoin.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slidehaving a coin receiving aperture and a longitudinal opening at theforward end thereof, a guide for said slide adapted to permit a strokeof predetermined length, means for preventing the operation of saidslide when a shim extending over said opening is used, means including apivoted dog for preventing the operation of said slide by the use of a.soft coin or a thin coin,

and means includinga pivoted dog for preventing the operation of saidslide by the use of a slotted or Texas coin, said last named means beingoperable only upon the operation of said means for preventing theoperation of the slide by a thin 5 coin or a soft coin.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slidehaving a coin receiving aperture and an opening at the forward endthereof, a guide for said slide adapted to permit a stroke ofpredetermined length, means including a sliding gate operable upon theinward movement of said slide for arresting the movement thereof when ashim extending partially over said opening is used, a sharp pointed dogpivotally mounted on said guide, a raised portion on said slide behindsaid coin receiving aperture for normally holding said dog above thelevel of said slide, a spring for forcing said dog downwardly into saidcoin receiving aperture upon the inward movement of said slide wherebyto arrest the further movement thereof when a soft coin or a thin coinis used in said aperture, a second dog pivotally mounted on said guideand normally held above said slide by said spring when said sharppointed dog is resting upon said raised portion, and means for forcingsaid second dog downwardly after said sharp pointed dog has descendedwhereby to prevent the further movement of said slide by the use of aslotted or Texas coin in said coin receiving aperture.

CHARLES HERBERT CURTIS.

